The History of Modern Korean Fiction (1890-1945): The Topography of Literary Systems and Form

From the publisher’s website:

Young Min Kim – Translated by Rachel Min Park – Introduction by Theodore Jun Yoo – Afterword by Jooyeon Rhee

This book explores the history of modern Korean literature from a sociocultural perspective. Rather than focusing solely on specific authors and their works, Young Min Kim argues that the development of modern media, shifting conceptualizations of the author, and a growing mass readership fundamentally shaped the types of narratives that appeared at the turn of the twentieth century. In particular, Kim follows the trajectory of the sin sosŏl (new fiction) as it meshed with the new print and media culture to give rise to innovative and hybrid genres and literary styles. In doing so, he compellingly illuminates the relationship between literary systems and forms and underscores the necessity of re-locating literary texts in their sociohistorical contexts.

Young Min Kim is former director of the Institute for the Study of Korean Modernity and professor in the Department of Korean Language and Literature at Yonsei University.

Contents

Part I: The Birth of the Modern Literary System and the Transformation of the Cultural Landscape

1. Modern Publication Mediums and the Appearance of the Chappo (Miscellaneous News) Section and Sosŏl (Fiction)
2. The Birth of the Modern Writer and Copyrights
3. The Formation of Modern Readers and the Establishment of Systems for Reader-Submitted Works

Part II: The Development of Modern Narratives and Changes in Fiction’s Form

4. Changing Conceptualizations of “New Fiction” (Sin sosŏl) and their Literary Significance
5. The Appearance of Short Stories and the Diversification of Narrative Forms
6. The Lengthening of Narratives and the Development of Modern Long-Form Fiction (Changp’yŏn sosŏl)